Without You
by Laser Lance 720
Summary: There comes a time when even the antihero must make a choice as to where his allegiance lay. Seeing Granger bleeding on his floor, Draco realizes that sitting back and waiting was no longer an option for him. Not when she was concerned. Written for the Lyric Challenge


**I would like to start off thanking you for clicking me little fic, and reminding you that I do not, in any way shape or form, own Harry Potter or anything associated with it. J. K Rowling holds that privilege. **

**This was done for the Lyric/Quote challenge. **

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"_**Listen to me now, you know I'd rather be alone, than be without you, don't you know**_**." –'Has Anyone Ever Written Anything For You?' by Stevie Nicks.**

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It wasn't love that drove his actions. No, Draco Malfoy did not love Hermione Granger. He respected her. Admired her. Hell, despite what he might say, he held the Muggleborn in high esteem. She was the only one who ever stood up to him, the only one who ever gave him a challenge, the only one to ever put him in his place. She was his greatest rival academically, and, although he would never say it aloud, he had come to enjoy the petty feud between them.

And now she was bleeding on his floor, and he couldn't remember how he got to this point.

_Potter! We have Potter_!

A simple enough statement, but it did well to rock Draco's world. The sequence of events that transpired after that did not stay long in Draco's memory. Words were shared, identities confirmed, and the fate of the Chosen One placed and taken from his hands. The entire event had taken less than half an hour, and before Draco really knew what was going on, it had all taken a turn for the worst.

Hearing her scream, that sound ripping from her throat and crawling down the walls like nails on a chalkboard, had whipped the previous events from his mind. He could barely remember the Snatchers dragging Potter and them into the Manor. He didn't know anything about this sword Bellatrix was so worried about. All he knew was that she was there, on his floor.

Screaming. Bleeding. Dying.

Bleeding and dying like he had been in that destroyed bathroom sixth year. Where he had suffered one curse; one devastatingly damaging curse at the hands of Potter, Granger now suffered through several bouts of mind staking painful curses at the hands of a mad woman.

Bellatrix threw Cruciatus after Cruciatus at the withering Gryffindor. The screams that raked from her throat were inhuman, and far too loud to belong to a girl as small as Hermione Granger. Her hair was wilder than ever, as if it could sense the pain peppering through her body, and was reacting to it. Her long fingers crawled at the floor, nails breaking and cracking as they dug forcefully into the wood. In between her screams, she kept denying the accusations the Death Eater threw at her. This did nothing to slow down Bellatrix's torture, only fueled it.

There was only so much that Draco could handle. He wanted her to stop screaming. He wanted to assist her, to save her despite what his sense of preservation screamed at him. The Slytherin prince wanted nothing more than to quell the screeches tearing from the Gryffindor princess, if only so he wouldn't have to hear it any longer.

But he couldn't. He couldn't move, could only watch as the girl he had known for years, lay bleeding on his floor.

That was whenever Bellatrix changed her tactics, sliding the wand into her sleeve, and pulling out the delicately carved knife instead. "How about a game, Mudblood" Her voice was taunting, sick. "You move, you die. You scream, you die. Let's see how many letters we can carve." She lowered herself, digging the knife into the girl's arm.

It was unclear what his aunt was carving into her skin, as his view was blocked by her wild mess of black hair. What he could see clearly though, was the face of his classmate. Her teeth, no longer bucked, but perfectly pearly white, bit into her bottom lip to silence the screams wishing to escape. The blood from where her lip busted open began to drip down her bruised chin, and stained her teeth. The intelligent gleam in her eyes was lost to blind fear and pain that danced among the chocolate layers. She pleaded to him, with her eyes. She pleaded for salvation to come from the schoolmate who had been made her enemy by powers greater than them.

He couldn't move though. Couldn't save her. All he could do was stare as the tears fell from her eyes, and blood flowed from her lips. After what seemed like an eternity, his aunt raised herself, and grinned down at the mark she had left. A wicked smile pulled at her lips, as she patted Granger's cheek.

"It's all right." Bellatrix spoke with a false sense of care. "It's all right. You have my permission to scream again."

Granger had yet to scream.

Yet to move.

"How did you get into my vault?" And from there, the curses began anew, and Granger could hold back the shrieks no longer.

A curse shot from Bellatrix's wand, and through Hermione's body. She let out a scream, fighting for breath as she answered. Granger muttered something between sobs, before another set of curses raced through her. "It isn't the real sword! It's a copy! Just a copy!"

"A copy?" Bellatrix sneered, pressing her wand into Hermione's throat. "Oh, a likely story."

"Be we could find out easily." Lucius's voice finally spoke. "Draco," he said sternly, turning his gaze onto his son, "fetch the goblin, he can tell us whether the sword is real or not."

Draco didn't move, only continued to stare at the tears tracking down Granger's face.

"Now Draco!" Bellatrix yelled, raising her line of vision onto her nephew. The woman glared into her nephew, and for fear that the Death Eater would turn her wand onto him, Draco withdrew his gaze and made his way into the cellar.

The trip was shorter than he wished, and before he knew it, he was standing outside the bars that lead to the basement. Biting down the vomit that tried to rise from his throat, he withdrew his wand and gripped the iron bars of the door. "Stand back," his voice shock more than he wished. "Line up against the back wall. Don't try anything, or I'll kill you."

The threat was hollow, as hollow as he was. But the shuffling of people moving told him that it was a good enough threat. The rustling of movement stopped, and Draco pulled the door open. Stepping into the cellar, he kept his wand raised, hoping not to show his fear and reluctance for the situation. Without saying a word, he grabbed for the goblin, and quickly made his way from the room, dragging the creature behind him.

As the door clicked shut behind him, Draco caught the noise of a familiar _crack_. Without turning to investigate the noise, he instead guided the goblin up the stairs and back to the drawing room. The scene before him was the same as when he left, Granger's screams still dancing through the air as his aunt continued to toy with her new prize. He shoved the goblin forward, hoping that it would cause the distraction Bellatrix needed to forget Granger.

It proved to provide the disturbance that was needed. Seeing the creature standing before her, Bellatrix rose from the Muggleborn, knife dancing between her fingers. She signaled for the goblin to come towards her, and he did so wearingly. Once close enough, Bellatrix slashed at the goblins face and began demanding things of him.

With the attention no longer on him, Draco took the chance to check on Granger. He couldn't move closer to her, as she still rested just behind his aunt's heels, but he could get a better look at her.

Tear tracks steamed down her tanned face. Eyes, so vacant and broken stared passed him, as if she didn't see him standing there. Her arms were outstretched at her sides, blood matted over one making it difficult to read the word that had been carved into her flesh. The clothes she sported were tattered, dirty and in need of a repair.

He stood there, just staring at her. Staring at a girl who had once been so full of life, but now looked so dead before him. Pettigrew moved behind him, hastily exiting the room without a word. Draco didn't pay any more attention to what was happening with the cowardly Death Eater than need be.

When the goblin gave a yell, and fell to his knees, Draco was once more pulled back into the quickly declining predicament. He didn't know how many times he had spaced out over the course of events, but he wished he had stayed in whatever lack of focus he had been in as he watched Bellatrix run her finger over the Dark Mark on her arms.

His own mark hurt instantly, and he grabbed his arm as if it would quell the burning sensation. Any chance of slipping out of focus was gone as the sting in his arm was keeping his attention locked onto his surroundings.

"…dispose of the Mudblood." Bellatrix nudged Granger with her foot. "Greyback, take her if you want."

The werewolf made a move towards the girl, but not before the loud battle cry of an angry redhead shot through the air. Before any of them could react, Weasley appeared in the doorway, pointed a wand at Bellatrix and fired a disarming spell. The stolen wand flew through the air, only to be caught by Potter who followed behind Weasley as they entered the room.

"_Stupefy_!"

Potter's spell sent Lucius flying back into the hearth. Potter and Weasley turned towards Draco as Narcissa fired a shot from beside her soon. The two fired back, taking it upon themselves to include Draco and Greyback as their targets as well.

The fight ensued. Draco took the back lash of a stunning spell at one point, just as Potter was sent rolling behind a sofa for cover.

"STOP OR SHE DIES!"

It was as if the air was ripped from the room. Draco turned towards his aunt's voice, which came a few feet from his right, only to freeze at the sight before him. He wasn't sure why his heart gave out like it did. Granger was on her feet, half conscious, and being supported by Bellatrix who had a knife to her throat.

"Drop your wands." Bellatrix snarled. "Drop them, or we'll see exactly how filthy her blood is!"

Draco watched as Weasley went ridged and Potter rose to his feet, with Bellatrix's want still in hand.

"I said, drop them!"

The two did as bided, but only after the blade was pressed into the skin of the Muggleborns throat and a bead of blood appeared.

"Draco, pick them up." Bellatrix motioned towards the wands that lay on the ground. The Slytherin didn't move, only watched the bead of blood drip from Granger's throat and down her exposed collar bone. "Now, Draco!"

But he still didn't move, only watched the line of blood as it vanished beneath her stained green sweater. There was something tugging at him that made it impossible for him to comply with his aunts orders. Instead, he stood watching the Muggleborn he had been raised to hate while a second line of blood began where the blade was digging dangerously deep. The cuts on her arms still bleed, and he was reminded once more of his own near encounter with death the year prior.

Her blood flowed the same way his had. It shined with a dull gleam that was characteristic of freshly released blood. For all the years that he had been taught that her blood was dirty, he couldn't find it now. She bleed just like any other.

"What are you doing, Draco?" Bellatrix snarled. Her glare leveled onto the young blonde. "I gave you an order! Cissa, deal with you son, before I do!"

"Draco." His mother whispered as she grasped his arm. "What is wrong, dear?"

"Do not coddle him, sister!" Bellatrix continued to yell.

Narcissa turned her gaze onto her sister. "Do not tell me what to do with my son, Bella." Her voice was threatening, something Draco wasn't used to hearing coming from his mother. "And do not threaten him."

"I gave him an order." Bellatrix screamed, her eyes wild, the blade of the knife slipping.

But Draco's attention was no longer on his aunt, or his mother. His grey gaze was cast above all of them, watching as crystal chandelier trembled dangerously.

_Creak_.

The chandelier began to fall without warning, aimed to crash onto Bellatrix underneath it. The Death Eater dropped the girl she had been holding, and doze out of the way. Everything moved in slow motion. Everyone frozen as they watched Granger fall onto her stomach beside the goblin, the chandelier falling quickly. Draco was only a few feet away from the Muggleborn, and in a matter of a second his mind made a decision.

The thought of a world without her was unspeakable. He had spent so many years knowing her that thinking her existence would end, bleeding on his floor was something he could not fathom. He didn't want to be in a world were Granger was not there to tease and torment.

He didn't want to imagine that Hermione Granger, the girl he had been taught to hate, but never fully able to despise, would die in front of him.

The first step he took towards her didn't requester in his mind, and it wasn't until he wrapped his arms around Granger's waist, that he realized what he had done. With the chandelier only feet above his head, he dove to the side, clutching onto Granger as he went.

The chandelier hit the floor; an explosion of crystals and steel. The main section barely missed hitting Draco and Granger, the outer rings landed painfully on Draco's legs. Shards flew every direction from the chandelier, causing more damage than the section that had fallen on his leg. The crystals broke as they flew, and even with his face covered, the debris cut over his hands and face. Blood dripped as he tried to rise from where he lay. His gaze fell onto Granger, seeing her arm up close for the first time

_Mudblood_.

The word stung, as he heard the younger version of himself sneering the insult without care to the damage he was causing. He had to bite down the bile that burned at the base of his throat.

Granger's eyes had fluttered open, and she stared at him in confusion, and if he was not mistake, gratefulness. She mouthed a thank you, but didn't seem to have enough strength to vocalize her appreciation.

"Draco!" Bellatrix's shrill screams ran through the air. He raised himself into a sitting position, ignoring the pain that picked at his senses. He watched as his aunt ripped the wand from her sister's hands, shoving her onto the ground, and pointed it towards her nephew. "You filthy, traitor. You will regret this!"

_Crack_.

The sound was followed by a tiny elf, bundled in a mess of strange clothes, who appeared standing in front of Draco and Granger. Even under the clothing, Draco recognized the house elf he had grown up knowing.

"Dobby." He whispered as the elf snapped his fingers, sending a snarling Greyback soaring into a back wall. From the corner of his eyes, Draco watched Potter reach for the wands at his feet.

"Dobby is here to save Harry Potter." The elf squeaked, his wide eyes shimmering, and finger waving at Bellatrix. "And his friends."

Bellatrix raised the wand at the elf, a murderous gleam in her eyes.

"_Expelliarmus_!"

It wasn't clear who yelled the spell, be it Potter or Weasley, but it hit its mark, sending the wand flying from the mad woman's hands. She turned in that instant, glaring at the two teens as she pulled the knife from where she had stashed it.

"_Stupefy_!"

The spell sent Bellatrix toppling backwards, crashing onto the ground painfully. As she tried to rise, only to fall once more, Potter and Weasley moved quickly in their escape. Scooping the goblin and the sword in their arms, they made their way over to where the elf stood. Draco watched as Potter gripped Dobby's hand, Weasley held onto the goblin; who still held the damn sword, grabbed Potter's hand, and snaked his other arm around Granger.

It surprised Draco whenever he felt Grangers slender arm wrap tightly around his. His eyes snapped onto hers, as the familiar sense of side along Apparation tugged at him. As he allowed himself to be pulled along with the retreating golden trio, he caught one last look at the home he was fleeing from. His father still lay unconscious in the corner, a mess of blood along his forehead. His mother's eyes were frantic, but almost relieved as her son vanished. A flash of red, most likely Weasley's hair, overtook his view of his parents.

The next thing he knew was the feeling of sand under him, and Granger being ripped from his arms. For a moment, he feared that he had been separated from the others with how roughly Granger was pulled away from him. He searched for her, catching her in a matter of seconds, being cradled by Weasley off to his left.

Before he could speak, a quick _Expelliarmus_ was cast his way. His eyes snapped towards Potter as he grasped the wand he had just taken from the Slytherin. A heavy fist slammed into Draco's jaw before he could do anything else. The force of Weasley's punch toppled him backwards, his face slamming into the sand, and soaking it with blood. He tried sitting up, but found the world spinning around his head.

"Don't…" Hermione's voice came back, hoarse from all the screaming she had done prior. Her eyes bore into Draco as she slide from Weasley's arms, and reached for him. Helping him sit up, she wobbled where she sat.

Grey eyes locked onto chocolate brown in mutual pain and understanding. She dropped forward, landing against his chest, and wrapping her arms around his waist in comfort. He returned the embrace by placing his arms loosely around her. It seemed strange, sitting there on that beach, holding Granger while they bleed onto one another.

It was strange, but at the same time, it seemed right.

He kept telling himself that he didn't care about the Muggleborn in his arms. That he didn't love her, but as he felt her leaning against him, the tangled mess of her hair pressed under his chin, he knew that he couldn't keep pushing it down.

After all, a world without Hermione Granger, didn't seem like a world worth fighting for.

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**Well, there you have it.**

**I've bounced a dozen different ideas that came from the lyric I was given, and this one is the one that kept popping into my head. I didn't want to go with this path at first, but I couldn't get this out of my head whenever I thought about my lyric, and once I started, I had too much fun with it.**


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